With over half of the season officially in the books, our editors Ryan Lanigan and Josh Perry look at where things stand in hockey.
Who is the current hockey Player of the Year?
Josh Perry: There should be little doubt that the player that defines this season, so far, has been Mansfield junior forward Adam Blackman. Blackman was outstanding on the first line last year alongside seniors Brendan Murphy and Kevin Flynn, but he has taken it to another level through the frist half of 2013-14. He has 34 points in just 11 games this season and the Hornets are following his lead to be right back among the league leaders. Blackman is certainly getting support from his line mates Jared Collins and Kyle Hurley, but even combined they don’t add up to the 19 goals that Blackman has scored already. In a year where explosive scorers seem to be at a premium, Blackman is bucking the trend and in the process putting himself at the top of the list in the Hockomock.
Ryan Lanigan: Mansfield Adam Blackman came into the season as the top ranked attacking player by both myself and Josh and his 34 points through 11 games – yes, over three points a game at this point – has done nothing to change that. He’s complimented nicely by linemates Jared Collins and Kyle Hurley and Blackman will be the first to credit them, but he’s had some unbelievable moments this year including a goal of the year candidate against King Philip, single handedly slicing the defense before finishing with a great goal. To put it in perspective, Blackman has more goals than an entire team and is close to catching another.
Which Hockomock team has been the surprise team of the year?
Perry: My expectations for North Attleboro were much higher than 4-7-1, but the Rocketeers have struggled defensively in the first half and given up 34 goals in 12 games this season. North misses versatile defenseman Ryan Burns and the two-way play of forward Tim Joyce far more than I thought that they would. There is still the potential for an explosive offense with Sean Young leading the way, but he hasn’t gotten much in the way of consistent support. There is still hope there to turn things around (see below) but it has been a struggle in the early going.
Lanigan: This one is a no brainer for me and it’s the Bombardiers of Attleboro. The entire Big Blue community has seen a new wave of enthusiasm and it has translated into their entire sports program. Attleboro has two impressive results, pulling off ties against the Davenport-leading Canton Bulldogs and the Mansfield Hornets (9-1-1). Goaltender Andrew Campion has been a big reason but they have needed strong performances from defenseman Travis Tanguay (team high 14 points), sophomore Keagin Larkin and transfer forward Domenic Bartnikowski. Seniors Chad Nadeu and Tyler Dutremble have also been vital to the offense this year.
Hock 5 (Plus 1) First Team - Perry F – Adam Blackman, Mansfield F – Ryan Spillane, Franklin F – Brad White, Milford D – Kyle Powers, Franklin D – Travis Tanguay, Attleboro G – Andrew Campion, Attleboro | Hock 5 (Plus 1) First Team - Lanigan F – Adam Blackman, Mansfield F – Tyler Provost, Oliver Ames F – Ryan Spillane, Franklin D – Travis Tanguay, Attleboro D – Kyle Powers, Franklin G – PJ Sheehan, Stoughton |
Perry: Not much was known about Mansfield senior goalie Dan Moyer coming into the season because he had to play behind Rich Shipman for the past several season, but he has jumped in and been solid for the first place Hornets. He has boasted an impressive 1.78 GAA and saved more than 92 percent of the shots that he has faced. In a league in which goaltending is usually a strong suit and with a strong defensive group in front of him, Moyer’s play has sometimes gone unnoticed, but he has been an unexpected standout for Mansfield. Ryan Spillane of Franklin was a close second for this as he has made the leap from solid squad member to leading scorer in between his sophomore and junior seasons.
Lanigan: There are two that come to mind and that’s Franklin junior center Ryan Spillane (team high 21 points) and a take-your-pick from Canton. Spillane has been a great surprise for a team that has sported a ton of depth over the past couple of seasons. The Panthers sported the big names coming into the season and boasted a strong group of core players and it has been Spillane that has stuck out big time. He’s able to slice through defenses when he wants to and has the ability to score and also has a great knack at being about to set up his teammates. As for Canton, Ben Lodge was a big name to watch for the Bulldogs but there have been a handful of players that have really stepped up. Sophomore Matt Lazaro has really been an offensive spark for Canton, scoring a team-high 11 goals and recording a team-best 19 points as of Tuesday. Freshman Jerry Harding has come in and proved to be a great set up man while freshman defenseman Jackson Maffeo has been impressive throughout.
At this point, which team will be going the furthest in the tournament?
Perry: With Mansfield and Franklin moving up to D1 and Oliver Ames slumping, the choice seems to come down to either Canton in D2 or Attleboro in D3. The Bombardiers have been one of the hottest teams in the league and look like a strong bet to challenge in D3, which lost its TVL contingent and defending sectional champ Pembroke, who all moved to D2. Still, Attleboro relies a lot on Andrew Campion’s performance in goal and it has a tendency to pick up unnecessary penalties, which doesn’t affect a midseason game against Taunton but it could be a killer in the postseason. My choice would be Canton, especially after the Bulldogs picked up an impressive win over Medfield last week. The Bulldogs offense is starting to click with John Femia becoming more comfortable with his second line and freshman Jerry Harding starting to get traction on the top line alongside leading scorer Matt Lazaro. Canton looks more balanced and sophomore goalie Justin Slocum is looking stronger and stronger each game.
At the moment, it feels like either Canton or Attleboro could give the Hockomock a chance at a deep run in the playoffs, but past history makes me lean more towards the Bulldogs at this point.
Lanigan: For me, it looks like Canton is going to be the team to watch going into the tournament. This isn’t a knock on how good Mansfield and Franklin are, it’s just more a tip of the cap to how deep the D1 South bracket is going to be. I’m also not saying that D2 South will be weak, it’s just a matter of the Bulldogs figuring it out and putting the pieces of the puzzle together. The Bulldogs knew it wasn’t going to be easy at the beginning but they have greatly improved since game one, as seen in their 2-2 tie against Franklin. They have strong veterans in Lodge, Andrew Howlett and Tony Francescon and couple that in with a hungry young core and Canton looks to be poised for a big run.
Which team is going to surprise people the rest of the season?
Perry: As mentioned above, North Attleboro has had a disappointing first half of the season, but there is still some hope for the Rocketeers. It has to start Wednesday against Attleboro. If North can get at least a point against Attleboro, they get two games with Milford and a trip to Bishop Feehan, which will all be competitive but potentially winnable games. There are also games against Taunton and Stoughton on the schedule. At the end of the season, we could see North in the playoffs, and giving a D2 opponent a hard time in the first round, and that poor start will feel like a long time ago. It’s a big task ahead, but a turnaround is not unthinkable for the Rocketeers.
Lanigan: We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention 8-2-2 Milford or any of their players in this piece. Their offense has been very good, it’s just a matter of putting together a complete performance and coming away with a statement win. Their next five games – Oliver Ames, North Attleboro, at Attleboro and Franklin and at North Attleboro – should be very telling of where this team is. Forwards Jared Balzarini and Brad White have the ability to score it seems against anyone, which will be important as they push forward.